Scottish Executive

Central Heating

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the costs of removing appliances which are old, broken or no longer required in properties which have had central heating systems replaced under the central heating programme in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency should be borne by the assigned contractor or the recipient of the newly supplied system.

Ms Margaret Curran: The central heating programme is aimed at those who have no central heating at all. The only circumstance in which existing systems will be replaced is where they are completely broken and beyond repair. In such cases the existing system will be taken out if it prevents installation of the new central heating. The heating company will remove the existing system but it will be for the householder to arrange for its disposal and bear the cost of doing so.

Central Heating

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any instances in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency of contractors fitting systems under the central heating programme and not removing appliances which were old, broken or no longer required, detailing the reasons behind any such instances.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested is not collected.

Central Heating

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions it provided to contractors fitting systems under its central heating programme in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency regarding the removal and disposal of appliances which are old, broken or no longer required, and when and how any such instructions were issued.

Ms Margaret Curran: Instructions to contractors working on the central heating programme are issued to them as they are appointed. The instructions provide that any existing heating system is to be taken out if it prevents the fitting of new central heating under the programme. There is no requirement on contractors to dispose of old appliances and fittings. It is for the householder to arrange disposal and bear the cost of doing so.

Charity Law

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the reform of charity law.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24449 on 24 April 2002.

Child Poverty

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children currently live in low-income families.

Ms Margaret Curran: The proportion of children living in low-income households in Scotland was 30% in 2000-01. This is our headline measure, based on 60% of median GB income (after housing costs) for the relative year. In order to have a detailed understanding of children in low-income families we track a number of measurements, as outlined in our Social Justice Annual Report .

  There has been considerable progress in improving the position for families on the lowest incomes. The proportion of children in severe income poverty (below 50% of median income) has fallen markedly from 21% in 1996-97 to 16% in 2000-01. There has also been a substantial improvement in income levels for low income families generally, as shown by the 13 percentage point drop in the number of children living in low-income households in absolute terms, from 34% in our baseline year of 1996-97 to 21% in 2000-01. These figures demonstrate that poor children in Scotland have been benefiting from our policies of supporting parents into training and work, underpinned by the modernisation of the tax and benefit system by the UK Government.

  We remain committed to defeating child poverty in a generation.

Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given in the review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to changes in the laws concerning entertainment licences.

Mr Jim Wallace: An independent task group was set up to review all the licensing provisions contained in the act, including those relating to places of public entertainment. I understand the group will shortly be consulting widely on their emerging findings.

Domestic Abuse

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is currently available for the training of people involved in supporting victims of domestic abuse.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund is currently funding six projects which provide training to people involved in supporting victims of domestic abuse, at a total cost of £158,311 per year, matched by local partners.

  In addition, the Executive provides £25,750 to Scottish Women’s Aid for two training workers.

  Training for police officers is provided nationally by the Scottish Police College.

Drug Courts

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been made of the effectiveness of the drug court pilot schemes.

Dr Richard Simpson: Both the Glasgow and Fife Drug Courts will be subject to an independent evaluation. The Glasgow Drug Court began sitting in November last year, and the evaluation of its effectiveness is already under way. The evaluation of the Fife Drug Court will begin when the court is established later this year.

Epilepsy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22591 by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 February 2002, what plans it has for a managed clinical network for epilepsy in order to ensure that people throughout Scotland receive the diagnosis and treatment appropriate to their needs.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is the Executive’s policy to encourage the development of managed clinical networks where patients and health professionals believe they would lead to improved services for patients. Proposals for pilot managed clinical networks for epilepsy are currently being developed in different parts of Scotland. The Executive has made it clear to Epilepsy Action Scotland, and the neurologists with whom they are working, that we would be willing to consider bids for pump-priming funds to help with the development of such managed clinical networks.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which working groups and parties of the European Council have been attended by Scottish Executive officials in the last year.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is set out in the following table. No distinction is made in our records between "working groups" and "working parties": both are classed as working groups.

  In the year to 28 February 2002 Executive officials attended the following working groups:

  


Date 
  

Working Group 
  



08/03/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



09/03/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



13/03/2001 
  

Environment 
  



14/03/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



16/03/2001 
  

Agricultural Structures 
  



21/03/2001 
  

Simplification of CAP 
  



21/03/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



29/03/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



29/03/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries Group 
  



05/04/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



09/04/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



17/04/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



20/04/2001 
  

FEOGA Committee 
  



23/04/2001 
  

Fisheries Expert Working Group 
  



25/04/2001 
  

Education Committee 
  



26/04/2001 
  

Structural Actions 
  



26/04/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



27/04/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



02/05/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



03/05/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



03/05/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



10/05/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



10/05/2001 
  

Environment 
  



14/05/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



17/05/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



22/05/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



22/05/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



22/05/2001 
  

Environment 
  



23/05/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



28/05/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



31/05/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



11/06/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



14/06/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



14/06/2001 
  

Education 
  



20/06/2001 
  

Committee on Spatial Development: Special Meeting with 
  Neighbouring States 
  



21/06/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



21/06/2001 
  

Environment 
  



25/06/2001 
  

Animal Products 
  



27/06/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



28/06/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



28/06/2001 
  

EU and CEE Ministers' Conference 
  



02/07/2001 
  

External Fisheries Group 
  



05/07/2001 
  

Education 
  



11/07/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



12/07/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



23/07/2001 
  

Agriculture 
  



25/07/2001 
  

Research 
  



10/09/2001 
  

Postal Services 
  



14/09/2001 
  

Research 
  



19/09/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



24/09/2001 
  

Fisheries Expert Working Group 
  



26/09/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



01/10/2001 
  

Education 
  



01/10/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



08/10/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



09/10/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



10/10/2001 
  

Environment 
  



11/10/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



15/10/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



17/10/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



23/10/2001 
  

Public Procurement 
  



29/10/2001 
  

Education 
  



29/10/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



29/10/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



05/11/2001 
  

Research 
  



06/11/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



07/11/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



13/11/2001 
  

Industry 
  



04/12/2001 
  

Internal Fisheries Group 
  



07/12/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



10/12/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



10/12/2001 
  

Financial Services 
  



10/12/2001 
  

Education Committee 
  



10/12/2001 
  

External Fisheries 
  



11/12/2001 
  

Youth 
  



13/12/2001 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



07/01/2002 
  

Environment 
  



09/01/2002 
  

Employment and Social Policy 
  



09/01/2002 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



10/01/2002 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



14/01/2002 
  

Health 
  



15/01/2002 
  

Education 
  



17/01/2002 
  

Internal and External Fisheries 
  



22/01/2002 
  

Education 
  



23/01/2002 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



23/01/2002 
  

Blue Whiting Expert Group and External Fish Group 
  



30/01/2002 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



31/01/2002 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



05/02/2002 
  

Energy 
  



05/02/2002 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



06/02/2002 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



06/02/2002 
  

Civil Law Committee 
  



13/02/2002 
  

Environment 
  



13/02/2002 
  

Internal Fisheries 
  



26/02/2002 
  

Transport 
  



27/02/2002 
  

Internal Fisheries

Ferry Services

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the tourism and export opportunities for Fife from the new Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service.

Dr Elaine Murray: VisitScotland and the east of Scotland area tourist boards are providing marketing support for the new service. Scottish Enterprise Fife, with local partners, is promoting the potential benefits to exporters.

Fisheries

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to examine the Norwegian planning system of strategic co-ordination as part of its development of the Scottish fish farming industry.

Allan Wilson: We sought views last year, when we reviewed the regulation of the aquaculture industry, on the proposition that a central regulatory authority might be created. This was not favoured by the majority of our consultees.

  The present statutory controls interface, but are distinct. Our judgement is that they are better discharged by the separate bodies currently involved (whose regulatory functions could in any case be changed only through amending statute). We are, however, working to improve co-ordination between them.

Freight

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what encouragement it is giving to forestry companies to remove their freight traffic from roads.

Lewis Macdonald: A central plank of our freight transport policy is encouraging freight to be transferred from road to rail and water. Our commitment to encouraging modal shift is demonstrated by a doubling of resources to £36 million in the three-year period up to 2003-04 for the Scottish Executive's Freight Facilities Grant scheme. This scheme helps companies invest in the alternative facilities needed to compete in financial terms with road transport.

  Awards of grant totalling up to £5.1 million have already been made to two projects transporting timber by sea from the Mull of Kintyre and the Morvern Peninsula to Ayrshire. There are a number of other timber projects that are now being looked at in terms of moving timber by rail or sea rather than road.

Hospitals

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions (a) Stirling Royal Infirmary, (b) Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary, (c) Perth Royal Infirmary and (d) Victoria Infirmary in Kirkcaldy have been unable to accept admissions in each of the past three years and what the reasons were on each occasion.

Malcolm Chisholm: Detailed information in the form requested has not been collected centrally.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed transfer of Glasgow City Council’s housing stock complies with EU laws on competition, public procurement, monopolies and state aid.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) whether it considered the application of EU rules on state aid and competition before announcing its decision to make up to £300 million available to the Glasgow Housing Association in repayable grant and (b) whether its decision complies with those rules.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the view of Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the application of EU procurement rules to large-scale voluntary transfer, set out in Arms Length Management of Local Authority Housing - A Consultation Paper in December 2000 and whether any procurement of Glasgow City Council housing services and assets by Glasgow Housing Association would be compliant with EU procurement rules.

Ms Margaret Curran: A number of questions have been raised in respect of EU laws, these are currently being investigated.

Housing

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considered the application of EU procurement rules before providing New Housing Partnership funds to the Glasgow Housing Association.

Ms Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24436 today.

Legislation

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a statutory defence available to persons being prosecuted for alleged non-compliance with legislation contained in unpublished statutory instruments.

Colin Boyd QC: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-1350 on 17 September 1999. The statutory defence provided by section 3(2) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 does not apply if the statutory instrument is exempt from publication in terms of Regulation 5 of the Statutory Instruments Regulations 1947.

Local Government

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcomes were of its meeting on 29 April 2002 with representatives of Angus Council and the other local authorities neighbouring Dundee.

Ms Margaret Curran: The meeting held with Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross Councils on 29 April, discussed a range of matters relating to the Cities Review, including the role of Dundee as a metropolitan centre, current and future patterns of development in the area of the Tay estuary, Dundee City Council’s boundaries and joint working across the city-region. The purpose of the meeting was to explore the issues, rather than reach conclusions.

Local Government Finance

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Argyll and Bute Council’s grant aided expenditure (GAE) for Social Services (a) is in the current year and (b) was in each of the last four years, indicating whether the council has spent above or below its GAE figure in each of these years.

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Argyll and Bute Council’s grant aided expenditure (GAE) for roads (a) is in the current financial year and (b) was in each of the last four financial years, indicating whether the council has spent above or below its GAE figure in each of these years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details of the grant aided expenditure assessments for each local authority for the years 1998-99 to 2001-02 are set out in Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) (the Green Book ) for each year, which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre with Bib. numbers as follows:

  1998-99: 8140

  1999-2000: 3274

  2000-01: 7912

  2001-02: 12261

  Allocations of grant aided expenditure for 2002-03 were based on those for 2001-02, adjusted to take account of projected changes to population data for that year. Details of these adjustments are contained in a supplement attached to the Green Book for 2001-02.

  Information on expenditure compared with GAE can be found in the CIPFA Rating Review Actuals of Income and Expenditure booklets with the following Bib. numbers:

  1998-99: 7548

  1999-2000: 14654

  2000-01: 19781

  2001-02 can be found in The CIPFA booklet Rating Review Estimates of Income and Expenditure (Bib. number 17055). Information for the current year is not yet available.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authority education departments regarding school policy for supporting pupils with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive issued the document Guidance on Education of Children Absent from School Through Ill-Health  on 19 December 2001. The information and advice contained in the document is applicable to all children, including those children with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome, who are absent from school through ill-health. Copies are held in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

National Parks

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget it has set aside to cover the costs involved in holding direct elections to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.

Allan Wilson: We anticipate that the costs of directly electing members to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority will be in the region of £50,000. Article 4 of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Elections (Scotland) Order 2002 provides for this cost to be borne, in the case of the first election, by Scottish ministers and in the case of subsequent elections by the National Park Authority.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Central Scotland Police and what matters were discussed.

Mr Jim Wallace: Officials from the Justice Department are in regular contact with Central Scotland Police about a range of policing issues. My most recent visit to the area was for the Safer Central Anniversary on 19 April 2002 during which I met the Convener of the Central Scotland Joint Police Board and the Chief Constable, amongst others.

Police

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are due to retire in each of the next five years, broken down by force, and how many people are expected to graduate from the Scottish Police College in each of these years, giving their prospective force destination.

Mr Jim Wallace: Although the Scottish Executive receives estimates from forces relating to the costs associated with retirements in future years, no information is held centrally on the likely numbers of officers involved. Nor is detailed information held on the estimated number of police officers likely to complete their probationer training in future years.

  The resources provided to the Scottish Police College are to enable it to provide on-going training and development for serving officers as well as probationer training for recruits. Around 1,600 probationers were trained at the college in 2001-02 and the current plans assume that demand will continue at around that level. However, the number who complete their probation training by force will depend on how many are recruited to each force in each future year and that is an operational matter for Chief Constables to determine within the budgets available to them.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs of the Scottish Prison Service headquarters have been in each of the last five financial years and the present year to date, detailing each head of costs.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The costs of functional and support services at headquarters for the last four financial years is as follows. Data for 1997-98 has been archived and is not readily available.

  


Financial Year 
  

£ million 
  



2001-02 
  

13 
  



2000-01 
  

11.9 
  



1999-2000 
  

12 
  



1998-99 
  

11.9

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the costs of the Scottish Prison Service College per prisoner place included in the public sector comparator in the PricewaterhouseCoopers  Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review .

Mr Jim Wallace: The estimated total cost of the Scottish Prison Service headquarters and college, taken as a whole, per prisoner place for the public sector comparator, based on a new 700-place prison, is £1,252 in net present value terms. The cost of the college as a separate item has not been identified.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the costs of the Scottish Prison Service headquarters per prisoner place included in the public sector comparator in the PricewaterhouseCoopers  Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review .

Mr Jim Wallace: The estimated total cost of the Scottish Prison Service headquarters and college, taken as a whole, per prisoner place for the public sector comparator, based on a new 700-place prison, is £1,252 in net present value terms. The cost of the headquarters as a separate item has not been identified.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what administration is required to be carried out by the Scottish Prison Service headquarters in relation to prisoners incarcerated in private prisons and what annual costs are incurred on such activity.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The administration carried out by the Scottish Prison Service headquarters in relation to prisoners is the same regardless of whether they are held in a public or a privately managed prison. The costs of such administration are not separately identifiable.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , what the breakdown is for the operational costs in (a) the comparison model and (b) the funding model in paragraphs 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 respectively of that document, showing heads of costs in each case.

Mr Jim Wallace: The breakdown for capital and development costs in the comparison model is shown in the table in paragraph 75 of the Scottish Executive’s consultation paper on the Future of the Scottish Prison Estate . The breakdown of the funding model is the same as that for the comparison model.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , what the breakdown is for capital and development costs in (a) the comparison model and (b) the funding model in paragraphs 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 respectively in that document, showing heads of costs in each case.

Mr Jim Wallace: The breakdown for capital and development costs in the comparison model is shown in the table in paragraph 69 of the Scottish Executive’s consultation paper on the Future of the Scottish Prison Estate . The breakdown of the funding model is the same as that for the comparison model.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review what the justification is for choosing a 6% discount rate to calculate net present value.

Mr Jim Wallace: Six per cent is the discount rate laid down in Treasury Guidance.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , what the price in real terms would be for the Public/Private Partnership Private Build Private Operate model, showing the price in real terms for each year of the contract discounted back to the date of contract signature at a rate of 5% per annum.

Mr Jim Wallace: This information is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , whether any calculation has been made and added to the cost of private prisons of the cost to it of any additional risk of pursuing a private prison operator for non-compliance with the contract and, if so, what the method of calculation was and, if not, what the reasons were for not calculating any such risk.

Mr Jim Wallace: Non-compliance would not result in any additional cost or risk. There would be no need to pursue a private prison operator for non-compliance since the remedy for non-compliance would be to retain monies that would otherwise be payable under the contract.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , whether it will provide a table equivalent to that in paragraph 3.5 of the report which includes the costs of HM Prison Altcourse and HM Prison Parc.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. Inclusion of HM Prison Altcourse and HM Prison Parc in the table would not be appropriate, for the reasons given in paragraph 3.3 of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Review.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Financial Review of Scottish Prison Service Estates Review , why the chart in paragraph 1.4, page 6, shows net present values averaged only over the 25 years of operation of the prison models and not over the 27 years of operation and construction, even though construction costs are included.

Mr Jim Wallace: The chart does not show net present value averaged over 27 years because prisoner places are not available for use during the construction period.

Prison Service

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners currently held at HM Prison Cornton Vale are held because of their failure to pay fines.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  As at 7 May 2002, none.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25133 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 May 2002, whether it will show the performance points accrued by the operating company of HM Prison Kilmarnock broken down for each heading in Schedule F to the  Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock  and for each year of operation of the contract.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The performance points are listed in the following table.

  

 

Year 1 
  

Year 2 
  

Year 3 
  



2.1(c) 
  

0 
  

30 
  

30 
  



2.1(d) 
  

50 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.1(e) 
  

135 
  

15 
  

0 
  



2.1(f) 
  

90 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.1(g) 
  

150 
  

50 
  

100 
  



2.1(h) 
  

55 
  

55 
  

0 
  



2.1(i) 
  

185 
  

125 
  

260 
  



2.2(a) 
  

290 
  

230 
  

235 
  



2.2(b) 
  

225 
  

295 
  

645 
  



2.2(c) 
  

160 
  

20 
  

40 
  



2.2(d) 
  

0 
  

0 
  

10 
  



2.2(f) 
  

170 
  

65 
  

110 
  



2.2(g) 
  

580 
  

750 
  

1170 
  



2.2(h) 
  

285 
  

100 
  

185 
  



2.2(i) 
  

5 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.2(k) 
  

0 
  

0 
  

10 
  



2.2(l) 
  

6 
  

2 
  

2 
  



2.2(m) 
  

12 
  

16 
  

4 
  



2.3(e) 
  

81 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.3(g) 
  

45 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.3(h) 
  

130 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.3(i) 
  

55 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.4(a) 
  

30 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.4(b) 
  

105 
  

365 
  

175 
  



2.4(c) 
  

200 


0 
  

0 
  



2.4(d) 
  

65 
  

140 
  

240 
  



2.4(e) 
  

270 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.4(f) 
  

5 
  

10 
  

25 
  



2.4(g) 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



2.5(b) 
  

639 
  

0 
  

2 
  



Total 
  

3,843 
  

2,268 
  

3,243 
  



  A corrected table has been published; see further answer on 24 May 2002.

Racial Equality

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what future role is envisaged for racial equality councils in Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is in the process of reviewing the delivery of local race equality work as part of its programme of modernisation. Responsibility for work in this area rests with the CRE. However, the Executive is being kept informed of developments.

Rail Network

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available for the construction of the Glasgow crossrail project.

Lewis Macdonald: Railway infrastructure projects may qualify for financial assistance from either the Scottish Executive’s Public Transport Fund (PTF) or Integrated Transport Fund (ITF). Bids under the PTF would have to satisfy eligibility criteria and compete with other bids, and those under the ITF would have to be considered by the Scottish Executive as being of sufficient strategic importance.

  The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive is looking at options for Glasgow Crossrail. However, the Scottish Executive has not been approached for funding a cross-city rail link.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom, or to what body, an NHS board must apply for consent to use covert surveillance activity against any member of staff under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: In the case of an NHS board, only the Board Chief Executive may grant authorisations under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000. The persons entitled to grant authorisations are specified in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Prescription of Offices, Ranks and Positions) (Scotland) Order 2000 (S.S.I. 2000 No.343).

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS staff and the public will be assured that any NHS board using covert surveillance is doing so in accordance with the law.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 strengthens the rights of individuals by providing a statutory framework specifying the circumstances in which certain covert investigative techniques may be used, their authorisation, oversight and complaints procedures.

  The legislation requires the appointment of surveillance commissioners to keep under review the performance of functions under the act. The Chief Surveillance Commissioner is required to prepare an annual report and to lay it before the UK and Scottish Parliaments. The annual report for 2001-02 was laid before both Parliaments on 17 January 2002.

  In addition, the act makes provision for complaints by members of the public to be made to an independent tribunal.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from which part of an NHS board or trust’s budget the money to pay for any covert surveillance activity will be allocated.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 requires public authorities to have appropriate arrangements in place for authorising, renewing and cancelling authorisations for the use of covert surveillance or covert human intelligence sources granted under the act.

  We do not envisage any significant expenditure by NHS bodies arising from the legislation but any expenditure would be met from within their general allocation.

Residential Care

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23315 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 March 2002, what progress has been made by the Scottish Institute of Residential Childcare in relation to improving progress towards achieving the targets set following the review Another Kind of Home and whether the percentages relating to such targets at the end of 1999 were different compared with 2001 and, if so, what any such difference was.

Cathy Jamieson: The targets set in Another Kind of Home in 1992 proved difficult to meet and were re-established in 1999. This may be due to the fact that whilst the number of children and young people accommodated in residential schools and units has decreased, there has been a major increase in staffing.

  The increases in the percentage of local authority staff who hold a qualification are as follows:

  


Course 
  

1999 
  

2002 
  

% Increase 
  



DipSW/CCS/CQSW 
  

11 
  

12.6 
  

1.6 
  



HNC and/or SVQ3/4 
  

26 
  

33 
  

7 
  



Total holding a currently recognised qualification 
  

37 
  

45.6 
  

8.6

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24007 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 March 2002, whether it will issue a similar profile of the spending to 2005-06 on motorway and trunk road repairs and maintenance, identifying all Private Finance Initiative/Public/Private Partnership (PFI/PPP) payments separately and profile any level playing field support payments in the same period in respect of any local authority PFI/PPP schemes for roads projects.

Lewis Macdonald: A breakdown of the Motorway and Trunk Road Programme 2001-04 by composite categories of spend is published as Table 8.2 in The Scottish Budget: 2003-04 . This details the Executive's planned spend on repairs, routine and winter maintenance, and PPP payments relating to the M74/A74(M) contract through the current three-year period. PPP payments to meet contractual commitments for Skye Bridge are included under the budget line Other current spending. Total PPP payments through to 2005-06 are listed in the following table:

  

 

2001-02
(£ million) 
  

2002-03
(£ million) 
  

2003-04
(£ million) 
  

2004-05
(£ million) 
  

2005-06
(£ million) 
  



M74/A74(M) 
  

24.2 
  

26.5 
  

26.6 
  

27 
  

23.4 
  



Skye Bridge 
  

1.0 
  

1.1 
  

1.1 
  

1.1 
  

1.1 
  



  Additional commitments will follow for two local roads PPP projects: M77/GSO joint project and A92 dualling. These will probably fall within the timescale but it is too early to firm up on estimates of payments at this stage.

  No accurate profile of spend on structural repairs, or routine and winter maintenance can be provided for the years after 2003-04, as final allocations to these budget lines are dependent upon the outcome of SR2002.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans exist to extend the monitoring system of annual condition surveys on trunk roads to include non-trunk roads.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the monitoring system of annual condition surveys on trunk roads to include non-trunk roads.

  Responsibility for non-trunk roads, including carrying out surveys of non-trunk roads lies with each council as the local roads authority for its area. The Scottish Executive fully supports the Society of Chief Officers of Transport in Scotland’s plans to carry out a condition survey of the local road network across Scotland, which is to be launched shortly.

Roads

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the issue of potholes in roads in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the condition of roads in the Clydesdale parliamentary constituency, other than the A72.

Lewis Macdonald: Trunk roads in Clydesdale are managed and maintained on behalf of the Scottish Executive by the Operating Companies, Amey Highways and Autolink Concessionaires. The trunk road maintenance contract requires the Operating Companies to carry out regular safety inspections on these roads. Annual road condition surveys are carried out on the trunk road network and from these the Operating Companies identify a programme of structural maintenance schemes to improve the condition of the network.

  Local roads in Clydesdale are the responsibility of South Lanarkshire Council as the local roads authority for the area. It is entirely a matter for the council to decide what priority should be given to the maintenance and improvement of local roads. Additional capital allocations for local roads and bridges amounting to £70 million across Scotland were announced in Spending Review 2000. On 25 February 2002, I awarded a further £20 million in revenue funding to speed up maintenance activity on local roads: South Lanarkshire’s share of this extra cash injection is £959,000.

Roads

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the statutory definition of "prescribe" was in 1991 and 1992 as used in Scottish legislation on roads.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24918 on 7 May 2002.

Scottish Water

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s policy is regarding first time water and sewerage connections.

Ross Finnie: I understand from Scottish Water that its policy is to support local and national economic development, and community improvements, through the provision of water and sewerage infrastructure, insofar as this can be done at reasonable cost and within Scottish Water’s overall financial constraints.

Teachers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the introduction of the career wind down scheme for teachers under the McCrone settlement.

Cathy Jamieson: The winding down scheme for teachers will be introduced from August 2002.

Telecommunications

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work of the Digital Scotland pathfinder projects will lead to improved broadband access for businesses in rural areas.

Mr Andy Kerr: Aggregated procurement is a new approach to telecoms procurement and the two pathfinder projects will be the first test. The aim of the projects is to secure an affordable solution for the public sector. By bundling demand in this way it is hoped that this will encourage more investment in infrastructure than would otherwise be the case and potentially establish a base for future wider provision of services to business and consumers.

Tourism

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to develop walking in the Highlands within the tourism market.

Dr Elaine Murray: Local partners - Highland Council, the local enterprise companies and the area tourist boards - are working with Scottish Natural Heritage, VisitScotland and Paths for All to actively develop opportunities for increasing the tourism potential of walking in the Highlands.

Tourism

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport made a commitment at the "It’s Wild" conference on green tourism on 1 May 2002 that the legislative proposals in it’s The Nature of Scotland document will be implemented before the elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2003.

Mike Watson: Whilst I referred to the major significance of The Nature of Scotland in my speech, I did not give any specific commitments on the introduction or scheduling of legislation.

  It remains our firm intention to bring forward legislative proposals at an early opportunity. In particular, we will publish a draft nature conservation bill, based on the proposals contained in the policy statement The Nature of Scotland, as soon as is practicably possible. It will be for my ministerial colleagues, Allan Wilson and Ross Finnie, and for the First Minister, to make any public announcements on progress with the implementation of our proposals.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants work on rail matters exclusively and how many on road matters exclusively.

Mr Andy Kerr: Precise information on the numbers of staff working exclusively on road and rail matters is not available. The following table provides a general picture of the numbers of civil servants working in areas within the Development Department which have responsibility for road and rail matters.

  In addition to staff working within these areas there will be staff working within other core departments and agencies with close links to road and rail matters, and also staff working in areas indirectly related to road and rail matters.

  Count of Civil Servants by Area Related to Road and Rail Matters, April 2002

  


Division 
  

Staff 
  



Trunk Roads Design and Construction Division 
  

47 
  



Road Network Management and Maintenance Division 
  

52 
  



Transport Divisions 
  

65

Transport

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of how the £5 million allocated to extend the park-and-ride facilities at Croy Station announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 will be spent and what agencies and organisations were involved in the assessment process which proposed this figure.

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the £5 million allocated to extend park-and-ride facilities at Croy railway station announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 is earmarked to cover consultancy fees and whether it will detail the process that is to be employed to appoint any consultant and the names of any consultants already engaged, the purpose they were engaged for and the date they were engaged.

Lewis Macdonald: These matters are the responsibility of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority.

Transport

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date work began on building the extended park-and-ride facilities at Croy Station announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002.

Lewis Macdonald: The preparatory work on the development of Croy Station began in March 2002.

Transport

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning was aware that planning permission for the extended park-and-ride facilities at Croy Station had not been granted when the announcement concerning these facilities was made on 21 March 2002, detailing the reasons behind the announcement in respect of the timescale for work.

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect will be of any delay in obtaining planning permission on the timescale for the completion of the extended park-and-ride facilities at Croy Station which the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning stated "should be completed in twelve months" in her announcement on 21 March 2002, detailing the reasons behind its response.

Lewis Macdonald: It is common practice to make announcement of awards before planning permission for individual schemes are obtained. Awards are made on the condition that sponsoring authorities are successful in obtaining the relevant permissions.

Warrant Sales

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a bill on reforming poindings and warrant sales and whether its bill will introduce (a) a replacement or (b) an alternative for such sales.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 7 May 2002. The bill introduces a radical new approach to debt management which puts money advice and information at the forefront to enable debt problems to be tackled before court and enforcement action become a possibility. It implements the central recommendations of the independent Working Group’s report Striking the Balance: a new approach to debt management , published on 6 July 2001, which were the subject of extensive public consultation and which received widespread support. In particular, it establishes the framework for a nation-wide debt arrangement scheme to allow managed repayment of multiple debt by negotiated instalment. In doing so, it fulfils the Executive’s commitment to bring forward an humane and workable alternative to the existing system in response to the request of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee expressed in its Stage 1 Report on the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Bill (SP Paper 82, paragraph 48).